Ghasia laughed at Ishara; the leopon female was attempting to fish. Ishara was not a particularly graceful creature, but then again neither was Ghasia. It was good to know that the cheetah was not the only creature who failed at fishing though. The cheetah laid on the side of the riverbank watching Ishara splash around. It was a nice day; relaxing. It was exactly what Ghasia needed.“How is this easier than hunting?” Ishara complained angrily, splashing her paw against the surface of the water in a fit of ill-temper. Ghasia stifled a giggle. It was rare that Ishara acted childish; a usually reserved creature, but sometimes there were moments that reminded Ghasia that Ishara was in fact barely an adult. She was still so young…and yet her visions were so strong. Ghasia worried for her (something that rather surprised her). Ghasia rarely worried about people, she was a firm believer that people could do their own things. They were all strong in their own ways.
“You won’t get gored by some buffalo if you’re fishing?” Ghasia pointed out rather dryly. “Ndoto isn’t here to help you hunt-“ and it wasn’t that Ndoto was particularly useful at hunting anyway “-and I’m still too injured to attempt to help you. Therefore, we need low danger activities for gathering food. Therefore, fishing. Now stop complaining and be quiet!” Ghasia scolded, rather motherly. She worried that she was fussing over the leopon too much, but it was hard. Ghasia missed her family and Ishara so obviously needed guidance. Ghasia couldn’t help her though…she had no idea what to do when visions struck the feline. She could only sit nearby and hope that the whimpering and cries of pain would stop. “Ndoto won’t be that long, she’s only gathering herbs,” Ishara protested and padded back onto the shore. She looked disgruntled at her soaked fur and huffed, shaking off as much of the water as she could before sitting down next to Ghasia with a heavy thump. She wasn’t a slim creature, a bit on the pudgy side and a bit too much lion for a leopards frame. She’d never be delicate or graceful, but she hoped someday she would feel more comfortable in her skin. She had never really felt like she fit in it but maybe someday.
“Yeah but knowing Ndoto, she’s probably eaten some weird mushroom and currently thinks she’s a goddess or something,” Ghasia pointed out dryly.
Ishara laughed lightly, a childish sound that was rarely heard. “True!” She agreed, amused and stared at the riverbanks. “Perhaps we should have supervised her expedition,” Ishara mused.
“Nah, she’ll come back when she’s ready,” Ghasia remarked, stretching out gingerly. Her body still ached but she was getting a long healthier. “Where will we head next?” Ghasia asked out of curiosity. They had just been walking around together, trying to avoid too many grumpy lions.
“I suppose that-“ Ishara started to say but was interrupted by the reappearance of Ndoto.
“Guys! Guys!” Ndoto exclaimed as she scuttled back towards the river, almost skidding into the water out of her enthusiasm. “I FOUND MUSHROOMS!”
Ghasia and Ishara blinked in confusion at the sudden appearance, before Ghasia began to giggle.
“Maybe I am a seer,” she joked to Ishara with a grin.
“Maybe!” Ishara returned cheerfully, and gently plucked the mushrooms out of Ndoto’s grasp. “No more of those until we find out if they’re dangerous!”
“They’re not dangerous at all! These ones are really useful for healing!” She tried to protest, but Ishara firmly kept them out of her grasp. Ndoto pouted and flopped down next to Ghasia, using the cheetah’s backleg as a pillow. “You’re so mean to me, Ishara,” Ndoto protested, a true adolescent in her whine.
Ishara rolled her eyes, but smoothly changed the subject. “We were just talking about where we’ll go next,” Ishara murmured, including Ndoto in the conversation. “I was thinking perhaps head north?”
“Why? What’s north?” Ndoto asked, nosily.
Ishara hesitated, staring down at her paws for a moment. The previous night, when both Ghasia and Ndoto had both been sleepily peacefully, she had had her first…non-painful vision.
The sky was clear; there were birds flying high nearby and there was laughter. Actual laughter. There was joy and happiness and Ishara saw herself: standing with Dysi.
He was smiling at her. “Looks like you’ve got yourself a beautiful home, Ishara,” he complimented her, and she saw herself flush with joy. “I’m proud of you.”
“Thank you, Uncle,” she whispered back. “I am trying to be a good leader.”
Leader? Ishara had been stunned. She wasn’t a leader. Who would ever make HER a leader? Of anything?
“You already are,” Dysi encouraged gently, placing his paw over hers in reassurance. The vision faded away from them talking, instead flashing to the landscape. There was a beautiful valley, protected by two mountain ranges that ran either side. The mountains were not tall, but they were enough to deter most creatures. The mouth of the valley opened to the savannah, but there were people guarding the entrance. She felt safe there.
She didn’t know where it was, but she knew it was north.
“Ishara?” Ghasia prompted when the young feline stayed quiet. “What’s to the north?”
She hesitated to tell them it was a vision. Most of her visions had been painful, full of hurt and injury. They would think she was walking htem into a trap. If she was going to be a leader, maybe she had to start being careful of her words. “I just think it looks nice up that way, don’t you?” She suggested lightly.
Ndoto nodded and shrugged. “Sure, sounds good,” She wasn’t particularly concerned by the whole thing, but Ghasia remained suspicious. She felt like Ishara was hiding something, but she let it slide. For now.
“Ok,” Ghasia agreed. “We’ll head north. Let’s stay here longer though; perhaps you and Ndoto can go hunt a gazelle or something now that she’s back from gathering,” she suggested softly.
“Or we could just eat the mushrooms,” Ndoto pointed out cheerfully.
“NO!” Both Ghasia and Ishara intoned together, and Ndoto pouted.
“Fine,” Ndoto grumped, rising to her paws. “We’ll go hunting. Cowards.” It’d be so much nicer if they would just be her guinea pigs. She was only 90% certain they weren’t hallucinogenic mushrooms and she had to be lucid enough to record if they were. Maybe she could slip one into Ghasia’s food…